Turbo bad when i try to accilerate quickly, the car seems to sputter badly but stops and runs perfectly when put into neutral. then runs extremely rough when put back into driver but smooth if back to neutral. After a while the symptom disappears and runs normally. not sure if turbo or trans or what?

all engines not tuned up do that. ! no engine size stated !
case in point, bad spark plugs....
ever do a tune up this decade? or ever?
spark parts, filters that? (open oper guide read 60k service and up)

reverse is a very low gear, and as such, a very low engine load
but drive, (1st ) needs more power. to move car faster.
and all spark plugs bad (old) on earth, just hate loads.
loads are when it misfires.
this is taught in school, ASE,
we put a bad spark plug in to the pressure spark tester
and watch it fail under pressure (loads).
same answer for 100 years.
my grandpa;s shop even in 1950 had one on the bench.
to prove to customers (non believers) that your plugs are bad.
we do tuneups now...
there are over 50 causes of misfire.
ill not attempt post them all
but I'll say, we do from 1 to 10 tests, and bingo.

one tests is the simple scan tool
connect it, got P03xx codes (DTC'S) bingo ? 2?
btw bad spark plugs will show up as P0301 up to (04 or 06)
06 be v6

Probably a bad ground strap to the engine.

-possible misfire or bad or broken vacuum hose.

Good Luck

Mai

There should be a vacuum line to your tranny that's not sealed right, check that out

Thanks, Terry

I would start by taking it to a mechanic and having them put a fuel test on it. It kind of sounds like the fuel pump is weak. Or the catalytic converter could be stopped up.

A bad fuel pump may cause a 2001 Dodge Ram 1500 5.9l to run for a few minutes and just shut off without sputtering. It can also be that the fuel pressure regulator (on top of fuel pump assembly) is stopped up. Dodge Ram trucks have been named Motor Trend magazine's Truck of the Year three times.-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Digimaster 3

Sounds like a bad throttle body.

dirty throttle body, check air filter.

Maybe a bad idle air controller on the throttle body. That is used to keep the car idling right when stopped.

Sounds like leak in high pressure side of turbo to inlet manifold tube.
Results in gutless or no performance but idle & revving in neutral ok.
Check for splits or loosened joints.